You may be on the fence about coffee machines that use a capsule instead of a traditional filter or grinder. It’s a relatively new way of getting your caffeine fixand has revolutionized home coffee machines. There’s certainly room for skepticism since many of these machines do have some limitations that others don’t, but overall they are an incredibly easy way to brew delicious coffee whenever the mood strikes.

The Delonghi Nespresso Lattissimais a coffee machine that uses compatible capsules with different roasts to quickly brew cappuccino, espresso, latte, and macchiato. The patented coffee capsule system means you don’t have to grind beans or load anything except a coffee pod into the machine. After that, getting a delicious cup of coffee is a matter of pushing a button.

To someone who may be partial to an old-fashioned coffee machine or one that has an onboard grinder, a device like this can seem a little too modern. However, even if you prefer a more traditional tool, you’ll still be delighted at not only the convenience of the Delonghi Nespresso Lattissima, as well as the wide variety of coffees it can brew.

Is it Worth Your Money?

At a sub 300 dollar price point, the Delonghi Nespresso Lattissima has a ton of value, as well as some impressive features that make it an excellent choice for both the casual coffee drinker as well as the die-hard java lover. It won’t make regular coffee but is capable of brewing cappuccino and espresso. It also has a built-in milk frother as well as an integrated carafe and water jug.

What makes it unique, though, is the fact that it uses pre-packed coffee capsules. Many similarly priced products require the use of a coffee filter holder and a few extra steps to start the brewing process. With the Delonghi Nespresso Lattissima, you’ll never have to do any tamping or grinding.

If you take your coffee in the morning, it’ll not only save you money by allowing you to avoid a trip to the coffee shop, but the machine is so fast that it’ll also keep your time while you’re getting ready for work.

As a bonus, Nespresso also offers a ton of different flavors of espresso to choose from, making the machine very versatile and suitable for a variety of different tastes. While the vast choice of capsules was a significant upside, the Delonghi Nespresso Lattissima is well worth the money based solely on its usability and intuitive design.

Review & Breakdown

Specifications

Adjustable auto-off timer

Removable water jug

12.5 x 6.6 x 10.2 inches

11.45 pounds

Stainless Steel Finish

Bar Pump

Milk Carafe

Temperature Settings

Nespresso Capsule System

Bar Pump

19-Bar Pump

Many espresso machines in this price range have 15-bar pumps. It’s a right amount of pressure, and will usually be sufficient to drive water through the grounds efficiently. However, the Delonghi Nespresso Lattissima has 19 bars of pressure.

Considering how compact each Nespresso pod is and a few grounds contained in each one, we found the 19-bar pump to not only to make the machine more economical but also found that it made some delicious drinks. With one pod, you’ll be able to get rich, full-bodied flavor in every cup without the need to use a significant amount of beans.

Milk Carafe

Removable Milk Carafe

While the coffee is being extracted, the onboard milk carafe adds the perfect amount of milk for each drink. It can froth milk for cappuccinos and, with an ideally placed nozzle, will dispense it right into your mug or glass.

The carafe is also removable, so you can keep your milk refrigerated even when you aren’t using the machine. Lastly, the carafe is dishwasher safe, so you’ll be able to toss it in with your dishes when it needs a good cleaning.

Temperature Settings

Rapid Heat Up Time And Optimal Temperature Settings

Due to Delonghi’s patented Thermoblock heating system, the machine will be ready to brew within seconds of you turning it on. In less than a minute the boiler will be hot enough, and the illuminated panel will let you know when it’s time to get started. Also, once the machine heats up, it’ll maintain the proper temperature until you shut it off, so there is no wait time between brewing shots of espresso.

If you’re having a party, the only thing you’ll need to worry about is keeping plenty of pods on hand, because this machine won’t keep you waiting.

Nespresso Capsule System

Nespresso Capsule System

No more tamping or grinding. By using Nespresso’s recyclable aluminum capsules, you’ll efficiently cut several steps out of the brewing process. The coffee is pre-packed in each pod, and all you have to do is insert it into the top of the machine.

Once you’ve done that, all you need to do is push a button to start the brewing process. There’s no need to measure your grounds or clean up either because when you’re done brewing the machine automatically ejects the pod into a hidden container.

Also, Nespresso makes a variety of flavored pods. You can choose from Intense, Mild and Fruity, and each option comes in both decaf and regular. With all this versatility, you’ll be able to make espresso, latte, cappuccino and even macchiato.

Our Verdict

Overall, we found the Delonghi Nespresso Lattissima to be a very well-made coffee machine that brewed professional-quality drinks with the very little hassle.

The detachable, integrated milk carafe was an excellent addition that opened the device up to more possibilities, and the capsule system couldn’t be any easier to use.

That being said, we did see a few areas for improvement. Despite there being a drip tray, we noticed that the spout continued leaking water for about ten seconds after the coffee was finished dispensing. It was a minor inconvenience but did sometimes require cleaning of the drip tray.

Considering that the capsule system is designed to make the machine free of clean up, it would have been nice for this issue to have been resolved as well. This would have made the device genuinely self-sufficient.

Another issue some may have with this machine is that it can only brew Nespresso brand coffee pods. If you have a particular roast you enjoy, you won’t be able to brew it in this machine without purchasing a pack of reusable Nespresso capsules. The price of the pre-packed capsules is on the higher side, and if you don’t love the taste, you may want to look elsewhere for a machine that isn’t limited to brewing its brand of coffee.

Other Alternatives

If you like the Delonghi brand but are also in the market for something a little more straightforward, the Delonghi EN670.B Nespresso Lattissima Single-Serve Espresso maker is an excellent choice.

As the name implies, it brews single shots of espresso, but still has the patented capsule system built in. It also heats up just as rapidly and still has an illuminated control panel like its more sophisticated counterpart. Lastly, it goes for about a third of the price as the original Delonghi Nespresso Lattissima.

If you’re looking for a Delonghi machine that won’t empty your wallet but still brews tasty Nespresso capsules, you may want to check out the Delonghi EN670.B.

Learn why Nespresso coffee machines are the best you can get in this article.